


Wish

by tinyquill



Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fear, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Possession, Psychological Drama, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-09 04:13:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3235826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyquill/pseuds/tinyquill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"/wiSH/ verb. - An expression of great desire, a hope for something that is difficult to obtain. To aspire for something that is unlikely to, or cannot, occur."</p><p>They all have a wish. And they all will get exactly what they ask for. </p><p>In full.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Happy Birthday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mermatee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mermatee/gifts).



> Set some time after the events of the video. The team is back together, and trying to patch things up. Lewis and Vivi return to their previous relationship, but things aren't quite the same. This might take more work than they realize...  
> A bit Arthur-centered (eventually).

“Happy birthday, Buddy.” Lewis looked down at the small white paper bag his friend was holding out to him. Arthur’s hands were trembling slightly, and he had a tight smile on his face.

Things had been a tad awkward since Lewis rejoined the crew. While he no longer blamed Arthur for his death, he still couldn’t shake the tension that the two now shared. Lewis wasn’t angry, but he wasn’t exactly happy to be around him, either. He wanted to be. God, did Lewis want to be happy again. He loved his friends. He was a peaceful guy, usually. He knew what happened that night in the cave, and didn’t blame anyone other than the green entity.

 But he just couldn’t manage the relaxation he once had around his old pal. He told Arthur again and again that he was forgiven; that it wasn’t his fault. Lewis didn’t think for a second that either of them believed that. 

Lewis wondered if they’d ever trust each other again. Lewis was concerned Arthur would hurt Vivi; Vivi and Mystery were worried Lewis would get revenge on Arthur; and Arthur was just afraid of all of them – Vivi’s judgment, Mystery’s Bite, Lewis’s temper.

No, what they had now was fragile. A single out of place comment set everyone on edge, leading to more quiet conversations than Lewis had the patience for. His solid, realistic human form had helped get them where they were now; Vivi was back to her old self (until she glanced at his blackened eyes), Mystery watched him when he got emotional, and Arthur only shook half the time. They were all trying to give each other the benefit of the doubt, but every attempt was only half-hearted.

Today, the group had taken Arthur’s van out to a small clearing in the woods. It was the big guy’s birthday, and Vivi absolutely insisted that they celebrate just like before.

They had come here on their bikes since they’d found it as children. It was a calm, secluded place with a small creek nearby. Turns out it was a great location for them to unwind now, as Lewis could revert to his ghost form and float without prying eyes. There was even a dirt road nearby where Art could park the van- the new mobile resting place for Lewis’s coffin. Gruesome as it was, the box was one of the few things that truly recharged him.

They never had much money between the four of them, so every time a birthday rolled around, they would usually make or get something small for the person in question. Small, but meaningful. Some of his most-treasured items growing up had been these precious gifts; a drawing from Vivi at age 6, a flashing light for his bike -assembled by Arthur at age 9 from spare parts, a tennis ball found by Mystery just a few years ago. Precious, indeed.

 ~

The celebration started early in the morning with Vivi’s hand-knitted scarf, which –while very long and beautifully blue- he would not need for the rapidly approaching winter. Being dead, the cold didn’t bother him in the slightest; even when he was in his solid human-form. She had practically flown into the van at 3 in the morning and knocked on his coffin, bouncing with glee. Vivi had literally just finished it, having stayed up most of the night to complete her work. She was so thrilled, he didn’t have the heart to scold at her for staying up this late. Vivi never had much skill with crafts; Lewis figured it must have taken her ages to put together. He planned to wear it as long as it was cold out; Lewis couldn’t resist matching with his best girl. Or the smile it put on her face.

Later in the day was Mystery’s gift: a toothbrush. Lewis couldn’t fathom why he’d brought him a toothbrush until he looked closer. It was his old toothbrush from home. Which meant his family probably threw it out at some point in the past year, if Mystery had gotten ahold of it. It sent a small pang through his heart; he fully expected and hoped that his family would be able to move on after his passing, but Lewis didn’t think it would bother him as much as it did. He looked down at his small friend, who wagged his tail happily.

Since the two of them were supernatural beings, they were able to communicate on a different level. Though Lewis didn’t quite understand how Mystery could talk to him, Mystery seemed quite accustomed to the process. Similar to telepathy, Mystery didn’t need to open his mouth or move, though he had to be within a close distance. Lewis still had no clue how to talk back in this manner, or if he even could.

“Thank you Mystery, but um… I don’t actually eat anymore.”

_‘Obviously. Still, it has its uses. Now you can clean out the smaller crevices of your bones.’_

“Okay. That’s useful.”

_‘Also, it contains a small remnant of your essence, as you were the last to use it. Anything that we come into contact with frequently will eventually retain a bit of our life-energy. It may help you regain some stamina during the day. Can’t be easy holding that form for so long.’_

“Oh. Neat! Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks, pal.”

 ~

Now here he was, Arthur holding a quivering paper sac in front of him. Lewis took it; trying to ignore the tiny flinch he received when he reach towards his friend. The gift was light, and the bag familiar. He opened it, and found a small Styrofoam container. He sighed.

“Uh, Art, you know I don’t eat, right?”

Something in his tone must have sounded unhappy, because Arthur’s smile drooped a bit. He scratched at the back of his head and looked down.

“Well, yeah. But…but I can.”

Lewis squinted at Arthur. What exactly was the catch here?

“…Still not following ya.”

Arthur suddenly looked nervous, and glanced to Vivi for support. After an enthusiastic nod, he fidgeted and looked back to Lewis.

“Well, I though… maybe you could just- I mean, it’s entirely up to you. But, if you wanted, maybe…”

Lewis straightened his back and looked down on the stumbling lad. He popped the lid to the container open.

“You could p-possess me and eat it. Then you’d be able to enjoy it again, at least for a little while. Vivi thinks it works that way... Still your favorite, right?”

Lewis’s eyes widened as he looked down at the small pepper. The chocolate covered bhut jolokia special.

It took Lewis a moment to really process what Arthur was giving him. The chance to eat again, to taste and savor something.

When he died, he thought he lost everything. Not only his family and friends, but the little, physical thing, too. Hot showers. Sleeping. Petting Mystery’s soft fur. Stretching. The smell of fresh clothes and Vivi’s hair. Breathing; man, did he miss belting out a good note to his favorite tunes.

And especially food. Food was always a huge part of his family life. He had been taught to cook since he was very young; helping his mother, aunts, and grandparents prepare bountiful meals for family gatherings. And later, at his family’s own restaurant. He learned the value of good seasonings. Of trying new things, working hard, and sharing a good meal. He even braved the feared ghost pepper- a new addition to his family’s menu -on a dare from Arthur (who could barely tolerate a bland taco).

He remembered that day well. Arthur said if he could eat the whole thing, he would eat one too. And he actually did! Vivi made sure to hold him to it, no wussing out of that dare! He practically had to swallow it whole, and he turned as red as a tomato. Took almost a half-gallon of milk to get him to stop crying. The four of them laughed for hours.

The longer he was a ghost, the less he could remember physically experiencing. Sensation was drastically duller in his solid form; he could tell when he was touching things, and what their texture and temperature was, but… it wasn’t the same. Everything now was muted. No smells, no taste, even colors appeared less vivid. Lewis was a stranger in in a strange land.

And Arthur was offering him a reprieve.

“I’ve never possessed anyone.” Lewis’s voice was measured, steady. He locked eyes with Arthur. Could this really happen? Could he have this one thing back, if only for a moment?

Vivi tugged playfully on his sleeve, breaking his serious gaze. Lacing her fingers in between his, she leaned into him. “You can do it, Lew.”

Mystery had once said that he could read auras and energy trails, and had explained that most supernatural entities could at well. Despite being dead over a year, Lewis still couldn’t see anything. For seemingly powerful ghost, he felt pretty clueless.

Vivi’s smile widened. “I’ve actually done a ton research about ghosts of heart, it’s more than possible, it happens all the time! Remember that abandoned library a few hours south of here, with the specter? It had a huuuge section on ghosts and I may have borrowed some-“

“-All-” Arthur piped in.

She rolled her eyes “Okay, _all_ of their supernatural books, before it was demolished. Sorry, sorry getting off topic! The point is yes, you can absolutely do this.”

_‘You did construct a mulit-story mansion with intricate details and edible food. Possession should be a breeze compared to that.’_ Mystery scratched behind his ears, completely chill about the whole situation.

Lewis’s eyes were bright as he looked between the three. Mystery had a point. He was running on rage back then, but couldn’t a wish be just as strong?

“Are you sure you’re okay with this, buddy? The last time you…”

“W-whatever had me then isn’t here now. I trust you. Besides, Mystery is here if anything goes wrong.”  Arthur nodded, and put on a brave face. He shoved his hands in his pockets to hide his trembling hands.

“Just leave me in one piece this time, ‘kay Mystery? And please for the love of god have some milk nearby. You did bring the milk, right Viv?”

She motioned towards the van. “S’in the cooler. Let me go grab it.”

Lewis started hovering a bit off the ground in excitement, setting down the container briefly to roll up his sleeves. “Okay. Okay! I can’t believe I’m going to- Art, this is- _Thank you.”_  Lewis swept his friend into a great bear-hug, earning an ‘aw’ from Vivi as she jogged over to the car.

Arthur let out the breath he was holding. He chuckled lightly and returned the hug after a moment, patting his ghostly friend on the back. “It’s the least I could do for ya, pal.”

This was the most physical contact the two had shared since before Lewis’s death. When Arthur first joined Lewis and Vivi, it was practically sensory overload. Holding hands, arms hanging across shoulders, kisses, solid embraces. Arthur never realized how much he had craved touch until after joining the two.

After the cave, however, he thought Lewis would never get near him again.

Vivi returned with a half-gallon of 2% and a few Styrofoam cups.  Placing it on a nearby stump, she whipped out her cell and snapped a quick photo. “Okay, everyone ready?”

“Yes!!” Lewis flew quickly, snatching up the small box and turned to face Arthur. His hair had reverted to flames, and his human form shed to reveal a pristine suit and polished bone. He was bursting with energy.

Lewis’s smile faltered. “Wait. No, Vivi, how do I do this? … Should I get a running start?”

Vivi nearly shot milk out her nose laughing. Arthur let out a nervous, high pitched laugh.

“Jeeze Lewis, you’re gonna give Art a panic attack. Okay so, passion is your strength, right? Desire! It’s what keeps you going, and tethers you here with us! Just try focusing on what you want. Paint a clear picture in your mind and, um, _will_ it into existence.”

Lewis began backing up- “You don’t actually need to run, silly!” -And then walked back in front of his friend. They stared nervously at each other, waiting for something to happen. Lewis wore a look of deep concentration. Minutes passed slowly by.

“…Did it work?”

“Uh, no. Remember, focus Lew.”

“I am.”

“I think we’ll know when it happens.”

“Now?”

“Nope. Don’t force it, take your time.”

A few moments later, Lewis sighed. It happened so fast to Arthur in the cave, why was it taking so long for him? Mystery rolled over and puffed out a sigh.

_‘Lewis, relax. You’re getting tense. It will happen when you are ready.’_

His head shot over to his canine friend. “I _am_ ready! I’m more than ready for this, Mystery!”

Lewis lowered his voice. “I am focused, I know what I want...” The air was nearly crackling with energy. Mystery sat up and cocked his head to one side.

_‘Do you really understand what you’re asking for?’_

Lewis’s fingers began to squish the thin container. Arthur reached out to save the small box and pepper, brushing Lewis’s fingers. “Easy ther-“

Everything stopped.

The breeze halted, the leaves stood still. It wasn’t exactly quiet, but the sounds around them had drowned out to dull echoes. It was the most unnatural calm Lewis could ever recall experiencing. Vivi and Mystery were statues. Arthur, too, was frozen in place, but he was present in mind; eyes widening and pupils dilating as they stared at one another. Lewis looked down, releasing his death grip on the container and focused on the point of contact. A simple touch was all it took!

Lewis dropped the container into Arthur’s hands and moved his so they were cupping the back of Arthur’s. There was a persistent pressure in his chest, a pulling sensation that was quickly becoming uncomfortable. Lewis closed his eyes, he knew what this was… the need to breathe. He was feeling what Arthur was! It was then that he realized that they were connected; he could move and, like a mirror, Arthur would do the same. Arthur had already closed his eyes.

Wasting no time, he exhaled and let himself turn intangible. Taking a deep breath, he walked straight into Arthur.

And just like that, everything came to life. Everything and so, so much more.

He felt that breath; every movement of stretch and ease. It was blissful. The tension drained away as Lewis laughed, and subsequently jumped at the buzzing sensation in his throat. The sound was foreign to his ears, but oh so welcome. He raised a hand and felt his skin, so soft and sensitive. So responsive! Everything was sharp and immediate. Opening his eyes, he was met with the most intense colors he could recall; it was all so clear.

God, did he miss this.

Vivi and Mystery, animated once more, were both staring at him intently. Both looking very concerned.

“Oh my… are you okay? You’re crying! Lewis are you in there?!”

“I-uh, wow this is weird. I’m good Vivi, it worked! This is so amazing, you have no idea…” Lewis looked down, popping open the small box.

“Let’s do this!” Grabbing the pepper, he consumed it in one bite; savoring the sweet chocolate, and feeling the intense rush of pepper. It was even better than he remembered. Vivi was astonished; her mouth was open in a toothy grin as she watched him chew slowly and swallow.

“Haha, did it go down alright? My gosh, your face is barely pink! I was wondering if you would retain Arthur’s sensitivity or not. Seems that you can override certain things when you’re possessing someone! Ooooh, I wish I had my notebook, this is great research material… Just don’t spin his head or anything alright?”

Lewis let out a rich laugh, and nodded in agreement. Mystery tilted his head.

_‘Your eyes are purple now. Does anything feel strange?’_

_“_ Really? That’s kinda cool. And no… Well, besides feeling a lot shorter. Vivi, do my eyes look purple to you, too?”

“Did Mystery say they… “ She peered into his eyes, now level with hers. They looked even brighter through Arthur’s eyes. “Whoa! They totally are!! Oh, this is so cool!”

Lewis smiled as she babbled to Mystery, who nodded in agreement. That pepper had been delicious, but the heat was starting to get to him. Not that he minded, but he didn’t want to leave Artie with some raging heartburn.

“Okay Viv, could you pour me a glass?”

Chatting away, she twisted off the cap and grabbed a fresh cup. A cool breeze blew by. Felt wonderful. Lewis had no idea how refreshing this would be. He’d have to do this again sometime; Arthur permitting, of course. Vivi handed him the glass, and he gulped it down; yet another tidal wave of sensations. And something else.

Lewis coughed roughly on the last swallow, dropping his cup. Vivi and Mystery both snapped their heads in his direction. His good arm immediately went to the mechanical limb, clutching at it hard. There was a sharp jolt of pain, but it seems to have pass-

Lewis winced as an even stronger shock of pain travelled through the limb.

“Are you two okay?” Vivi asked fervently. Lewis examined the limb carefully for the first time. There were some basic sensations- pressure and placement –but up until now it had felt more like dead weight. Nothing as irritating as what he was feeling now.

“Dunno, I-“Another bolt of pain. His arm was starting to ache horribly. Lewis gritted his teeth. “Madre de dios… why does this hurt so badly? Did Arthur ever say anything to you about this?” Lewis wiggled the fingers, hoping to feel something different in the arm. No such luck. Vivi led him to a log and sat the boy down, Mystery following closely.

“I- No, Lew, he never said anything. I mean, they gave him pain pills when he was sent home from the hospital, phantom pain and all. But…” She went to his side, examining the limb. “…he said it was gone. That he didn’t need them.”

_‘Why aren’t you just asking him yourself, Lewis? He’s right there with you.’_

Lewis stared at Mystery, brow crumpling in confusion.

_‘He IS with you in there, right? You can hear him?’_

Lewis’s eyes widened in horror. “I… I haven’t heard anyone, Mystery.”

He felt nauseous. Was he supposed to hear Art? Was it like a voice in his head, or was he supposed to see him? The pain was making it rather hard to concentrate. Vivi started rubbing small circles into his back.

“What do you mean Lewis? You haven’t heard anyone?”

“Vivi, I don’t-“ He couldn’t finish the sentence. He must have done something terribly wrong; he didn’t focus hard enough, didn’t enter Arthur right. How could they have been so reckless? How could **he** have been so reckless?

“I don’t know where Arthur is.”


	2. Need to Know

Vivi blinked a few times in confusion. Lew couldn’t find Arthur? She looked down as she recalled her literature. They had followed her books as closely as possible; though vague they may have been. For as often as they’d encountered it, possession seemed a basic spiritual occurrence. There were certain demands that had to be met in order for it to work, just as any spell or summoning Vivi had read about… Possession was no exact science, but it did ultimately work.

“Lewis, that’s- that doesn’t make any sense.” Vivi began nervously, picking at the hem of her skirt. “He should be in there with you. For any straightforward possession, the soul has to remain intact, otherwise the- the body dies...”

The small blond froze. Lewis couldn’t go through that again. He couldn’t endure the feeling of slipping away, of losing his breath and sliding out of control... It was one thing to be a ghost and feel next to nothing on a daily basis. But another entirely to be alive and feel it all slip away. He remembered how painful his death was, physically. Every agonizing moment was etched into his mind for eternity.

But for the soul, it was uncomfortable in a different way. Lewis wasn’t sure if it felt like this for everyone; he certainly hoped it went faster for most. It had started after getting pierced squarely in the chest; just when he realized he wasn’t going to make it. The sensation of being smothered began immediately; not unlike drowning (or at least, how he imagined drowning felt like). Every breath was a struggle; until he realized that it wasn’t his lungs he was fighting with anymore, it was something deeper. A pulling of sorts. He tussled and pushed and strained against it; but he knew he couldn’t stay… as he was. It grew worse with time, however long that was. He had lost track in the agony.

He could only fathom what that pulling really was; perhaps the universe’s way of taking him onward. Lewis had never fought harder in his life. He had to get back to Vivi. He had to stop Arthur.

Eventually it all ceased, and he was left unbelievably exhausted; trapped in this new and unusual form. It took days for him to come around, and weeks before he was strong enough to leave the cave.

It had been nearly impossible for Lewis to resist death once, and he had the pain and rage of betrayal to help tie him down then. Now that there was no main source of anger, he didn’t know what he would be able to use. Mild discontent was a poor motivator.

The blood drained out of his face; shoulders slumped. “…I can’t, Viv… I won’t make it… through _that_ a second time…”

A sharp intake of air; Lew knew he said the wrong thing. A pair of arms grabbed him with a crushing grip.

“You dummy! I didn’t mean it like that! You guys aren’t going anywhere. Not without me this time.”

He leaned into her hug. He was still very much alive at the moment, Arthur’s prosthetic arm being a rather persistent reminder of that. “I’m still breathing… so you mean Art must still be around. Right?”

“Exactly! Well, in theory. But he… he should be with you. Can’t you…I dunno, sense him or something?”

“I don’t- I’ve never been able to do that kind of thing. Mystery’s been trying to show me, but,” He smiled weakly at the pooch. “I’m not the fastest learner.”

Mystery was looking around their little campsite nervously, only half following their conversation. He paced around in no particular pattern, sniffing the air every once in a while. A low whine escaped him.

_‘Lewis your abilities are beyond average for your age, I can assure you. If you had a better teacher, I’m certain you would be able to read auras and energy trails by now. I apologize. There is so much that you do not know, both of you.’_

“It- ugh- It’s okay, you’ve been doing great by me.”

“What did Mystery-“

“He says he is an awesome teacher, and that he has a lot to teach us _right now_ about what is going on. Don’t you, buddy?"

Mystery shot Lewis a look and sat back on his haunches.

_‘Lewis, I am not a walking encyclopedia. I’ve never encountered this situation before. But I can logically presume that this possession has gone very wrong... I believe Vivinne has a book with more information in the van.”_

Vivi looked between the two’s intense stares. “Oh, this is so unfair! Is he telling-”

“He says that our possession has messed up, and to get your books from the van quickly please. And maybe some painkillers?”

Vivi’s eyes widened; she began to freeze up. So it was a bad possession; nobody would know better than their supposed kitsune. This… this was all her fault. She was the one that had suggested it, and encouraged it. Once again, she ran into something blindly, assuming they were ready, only to have it backfire in all their faces. ‘Ohhhh, I’ve read a book about this, so now that makes me an EXPERT! Let’s go do this brand new thing that I’ve _never_ seen in person or experienced! It’ll be a breeze!’ It was the cave all over again. A small hiccup escaped her throat.

She couldn’t lose her boys again, not to something as trivial as a chocolate covered pepper. God, she was so foolish-

“Vivi! Please…”

Lewis grabbed her hands and held them tightly. He knew what she was doing. For all the confidence and energy she exuded on a daily basis, her self-esteem wasn’t always at the same level since his death. She’d talk to him about it often, in private, how hard it was to stay positive some days. How her smile would falter when no one was looking. How her hands always trembled just before a big case now.

“Focus. You -ughh… you have the answers, and we can fix this. We’ll find it together.”

“Yes. Yes! Okay, hang on.” Vivi jumped up and jogged to the van, hiccupping nervously along the way. Lewis groaned and curled over the prosthetic, hoping dearly that Art left pain pills somewhere in that mess of a vehicle. Maybe if he concentrated, just like before, he could leave, and everything would go back to normal…

He broke into a small sweat, urgently hissing to his small furry friend.

"...I can't get out. Mystery, I can't get out!"

_'Lewis, calm down! Stop trying to un-possess Arthur, you may be causing more damage than you realize. This is a rather delicate situation.'_

Lewis winced and looked at the pooch. "I didn't... Oh God, I didn't hurt him, did I?"

His question was met with silence.

“Mystery, please. I need to know.”

_‘It’s too soon to tell, Lewis. There are so many variables in action right now, it’s impossible to know until we track his spirit down. Just… don’t panic. I didn’t want to do this, but I’m going to spiritually link to Vivinne, so our conversations won’t be so,’_ He gave Lewis a dirty look, _‘up to interpretation. And lengthy; time is of the essence now.’_

“Oh, Viv will be thrilled. Just don’t… don’t say anything that might scare her.”

Mystery huffed out a small bark. ‘ _I think we’d have a very hard time scaring her of all people, Lewis.’_

“You know what I mean, Mystery. She lost me once due to all this- this spiritual stuff, I don’t want her to think that it could happen again to any of us, she should never have to go through that.”

Vivi came running back, struggling with a stack of books, each impressive in size.

_‘I’m not going to lie to her. We both know what happened last time one of us hid the truth.’_

“Look who’s talking.” He muttered quietly.

“This,” she said, struggling to set all the books down, “Is everything I’ve got on ghosts at the moment!” She sat down cross legged and spread all the tomes around her in a semi-circle. They varied in age, color, and size; the oldest being held together with aged twine and Vivi’s old shoelaces. The pages were worn with age; the binding cracked due to bookmarks and notebook paper stuffed between the pages.

Vivi’s eyes lit up as she immediately delved into detail, arms flying as she listed and pointed out each volume’s contents. “Okay! So this one catalogues the types of spirits and their characteristics annnd this one goes into possessions and exorcisms and then there’s this one which is a bit new age-y- but delves more into the science side of ghost tracking but you never know what we’ll need and THIS one is ancient I think it has incantations but I can’t even read half of it- YEEOUCH!!”

She whipped her hand away from Mystery’s mouth and jumped up to her feet, taking a step back. “Oh jeeze, that stings! Mystery, what the big idea?! That really hurt!”

“Hey! A little warning next time would be nice.” Lewis got up, going to examine Vivi’s hand. “Oh, cripes, you’re bleeding!”

“I’ll be alright, Lew. Is Mystery okay? He’s never bitten anyone before! Well, except Art… Wow are your teeth sharp or what-“

_‘My apologies Vivinne, It’s one of the few ways I can form a psychic link to you. At least, for someone who’s living.”_

Vivi stopped, and looked down at the black and white dog. Then up to Lewis. And back to Mystery. “Lewis. Please tell me you heard that.”

“Every word. Just wait ‘til you get him going on food, I swear he could rival your appetite, Viv.”

Mystery trotted back over to her and licked her good hand as a gesture of apology. She quickly scooped up the small pup up and swung him around. “Oh, Mystery, thank you!! Finally! Oh, this is amazing, I thought you’d never come around! Lewis-“

Lewis had sunk back down to his spot on the log, head in his good hand and taking slow steady breaths. Viv quickly set Mystery down, much to his appreciation, and tore a thin strip of cloth from her skirt. It was old anyway; she wouldn’t miss it, and she’d rather save the good first aid supplies for when they really needed it. Wrapping the cloth quickly around the bite, she reached for the small orange bottle in her pocket.

She spoke soothingly. “Hey Lew-lew, I found Art’s pills, but…” She turned the bottle over in her fingers, never been opened. “They’re expired. And we don’t know how the two of you will react to the medicine. You’ve always needed to take large doses of stuff when you were sick, but Arthur… Well, back in the hospital, half of a pill would knock him flat on his butt for hours. What do you want to do?”

Lewis groaned and looked up at the bottle. If it was anything like the pepper, he should be fine taking a larger dose. And it was expired too, so the medicine might be weaker by now. Another wave of pain wracked his arm, not letting up in the slightest. Yeah, this amount of pain definitely called for a larger dose.

“Two, thanks."

She poured him a glass of milk and gave him the meds, pocketing the bottle for later. Lewis chewed the bitter tablets and swallowed the chalkly substance down, hoping they’d start working quickly.

_‘Alright, we need to set up a protective barrier as we work through this. I know you can’t sense it Lewis, but you and Arthur have started hemorrhaging spiritual energy, and it’s getting worse. We are going to attract quite a bit of attention if we don’t do something quickly._ ’ He started circling around the books, sniffing.

“Hemorrhaging?! Mystery, what is happening? Is Arthur hurt? Lew, are you feeling any differently?”

“Besides the constant dull ache?’ He raised the mechanical limb in a halfhearted wave. “I’m fine Viv, no worse for wear. It’s Art I’m worried about.”

_‘Like I said earlier, I’ve never witnessed a possession in action quite like this before; we are treading in new territory. And just because you feel fine doesn’t mean you are, Lewis. I want you to lie down and begin meditating just like we’ve discussed before.’_

Mystery stopped by the oldest tome, the one crudely tied together with strings and practically crumbling at the edges. He placed a paw upon the cover.

_‘I believe the spells we need are in this book, Vivienne.’_

“Oh.” She frowned. “That’s the one I can’t read most of. I’ve tried translating it a dozen times, and I still don’t know what language it’s written in…”

_‘Open it and start turning pages until I tell you to stop.’_

Vivi sat obediently and started gently flipping through pages, mystery following her page by page.

‘ _You are correct in assuming that Arthur’s spirit is still with us, the results would have been evident upon his physical form should he have been destroyed. Though extremely rare, I have seen cases of the possessing spirit being strong enough to do so upon entering a host.’_ Vivi froze mid page. Mystery continued hastily. ‘- _But it has always occurred with the intention of the spirit! It requires a great amount of energy to completely disperse a soul, and generally not something one does unintentionally.’_

Lewis let out a small sigh of relief as he decided to stretch out on the soft grass, removing the padded orange vest and scrunching it up as a pillow. He couldn’t have accidentally, well… he had no desire to return that favor. Not anymore.

‘ _I assumed Arthur was falling into a state of rest shortly after the possession started; not completely unusual, as it is difficult to share one set of experiences. Imagine two people trying to drive a car; it is much easier to have a passenger than a second set of hands on the steering wheel, yes?’_

_‘However, he began to fade rather quickly. When Lewis stated he could not locate Arthur, I realized what I might have been sensing was Arthurs residual energy; a trail, if you will, left over on his body. He’s a young and inexperienced soul, so even if Lewis had managed to completely push Arthur out of his own body, he would not have been able to travel very far.’_

“Like an out of body experience?”

_‘Exactly, Vivinne. I would have been able to sense him, even if he didn’t know how to make himself visible to the two of you. But I couldn’t feel anything in the immediate area. Stop! No, back one page.’_

Vivi returned to a loose page densely filled with handwritten calligraphy. She ran her fingers along the beautiful words, and looked to Mystery.

“I don’t even know where to begin _pronouncing_ these words, let alone understand what I’m doing. This is advanced stuff, Mystery.”

_‘I’ll pronounce it for you, I just need you to repeat everything I say verbatim.”_

Vivi shifted. “I know how strapped for time we are, but I won’t cast anything until I know what I’m asking for. I can’t take that risk.”

_‘It’s a masking spell,’_ Mystery stated quickly. _“It will hide our auras in this immediate area for a short time. No creature will be able to smell the damage here.’_

Vivi paused, waiting for her friend to continue. When she was met with silence, she blanched. “That’s all you’ve got for me? Mystery, that’s nothing!”

_“That’s enough to understand what we are doing.”_

“No, that’s literally nothing to go on! What’s the exact duration of this spell, how many castors are recommended, what supplies are needed –assuming this isn’t a simple verbal charm- not to mention the spiritual cost, and the rebounds…!”

_“You’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, I’d commend you if I didn’t think we were in such a crisis right now. Please, after me-“_

“Mystery, no! You know how dangerous this can be; remember that girl in Salem? She _died_ because she didn’t understand her spells thoroughly, and it backfired on her.”

_‘Do you seriously believe I’d have you recite a spell that would kill you?’_

 Lewis bolted up at the kitsune’s words, staring hard at the dog. “ _Kill_!? Whatever this is, we are _not_ -“

Vivi held up her hand. “Hold that though, Lew. No Mystery, of course not! But this is not something to take lightly. Spells aren’t ‘situation band-aids’! There are consequences to pulling at the energy of the universe. I realize that you’re a powerful spirit and all, but you don’t cast theses-“

Mystery pawed at the ground impatiently. _‘Really Vivinne must you know everything before making a move?!’_

“YES! Not knowing killed Lewis at the cave! Not knowing nearly killed Arthur at the mansion, and now not knowing _enough_ has my two friends in danger, possibly hurt!”

Vivi was on her feet, fists shaking at her side. She struggled to hold her voice steady. “I can’t not know anymore.”

Lewis was sitting up, shocked expression on his face. She was scared.

Holding out his hand, she walked over and took it, lip trembling. She held the loose leaf page in her hand, and took a seat; backs against the old log. Lewis intertwined their fingers, and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. Mystery trotted over slowly, tail and ears down.

_‘…I apologize, Vivinne. You are right, this is not to be taken lightly. I did not mean to push you into this.”_

The canine sat down to her right, and rested his muzzle gently on her lap. She laughed wetly, and patted his head, breaking a smile at last.

“It’s hard to remember that you’re this great big spirit when you look this cute.”

Mystery huffed out a small breath. ‘ _If being this ‘cute’ results in your wonderful scratchies behind my ears, then I shall endure such a great burden. Kitsune or not.’_

She sighed. “I’m sorry, its just-“

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. We get it.”

Sniffle. “…Love you, guys.”

_‘We love you, too.’_

Vivi examined the paper closer, taking in a deep breath. “Castors?”

_‘One only.’_

_“_ Any chance of rebounding on us?”

_‘Very little. And it would only affect the castor for a limited time.’_

_“_ Good _.”_ She swallowed, this one was the kicker. “The cost?”

Mystery winced. _‘…Variable, relying more heavily on the castor’s life energy rather than environmental. Time and distance are the initial deciding factors, though it may increase depending on… surrounding factors.’_

Vivi looked stricken. _‘Keep in mind, it is a lower level spell, and it most likely will not require very much energy. I don’t plan to keep it in effect for long.’_

 It was always dangerous to cast something without a definite cost. Like writing a blank check, it could require nothing more that some momentary effort, or break the bank.

‘ _The cost is greater if we do nothing, Vivinne. I wouldn’t ask you if we didn’t absolutely need this. Please, trust in me.’_

She contemplated her options, turning the page over in her hand, and finally looking at Lewis. He looked tired, eyes slightly pinched in discomfort. Vivi could only image what Arthur was going through.

She would do _anything_ for her boys.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

~

 

It didn’t take much. It never did with Arthur; always so fragile. So sensitive.

The green mist surrounded him; choked him. Arthur could barely think straight, fear so intense he couldn’t move. A deep, startling voice rang through his head.

‘ _Oh Arthur. I’m so, so very happy to see you again. I thought we wouldn’t get to play anymore_.’

He screwed his eyes shut, refusing to look down at the pit of green stalagmites several feet below. A familiar energy crept its way up his left arm, spreading like fire and feeling as such. He gagged and fell to his knees, dry heaving.

_‘But don’t worry, nobody’s here to get in the way now.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quit fightiiiiingggg!
> 
> No sneak peak this time, but I can tell you that we will find out exactly where Arthur is in the next chapter, and how he's doing (Hint: it is not well). There's likely going to be much more Lewis and Arthur interaction to make up for this chapter's significant lack or Arthur, but I will try to keep it more balanced. The drama is comingggg!
> 
> As always, so sorry for the super slow updates! I am a turtle, and there's a lot going on right now. I hope to have the next chapter up much sooner that this one was. Kudos/comments/etc make me a happy turtle :)
> 
> Peace!


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